


Before the Midnight Hour

by ScreamingLotus



Category: New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Alternate Reality, English, Gen, Implied/Referenced Incest, One Shot, Supernatural Elements, where there was no killing game
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-28
Updated: 2019-09-28
Packaged: 2020-10-30 02:48:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,570
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20807276
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScreamingLotus/pseuds/ScreamingLotus
Summary: Korekiyo invites Shuichi and Rantaro to explore the so-called haunted woods near the school grounds. As they begin to set up camp for the night, Korekiyo is beckoned into the dark by a familiar voice.





	Before the Midnight Hour

**Author's Note:**

> The plot/idea of this work has been pulled from Episode 5 of Tsukiuta: The Animation. I thought it would work really well for Korekiyo, and couldn't stop thinking about it after I watched the episode.

“Shuichi.”

Shuichi didn’t have to turn to know who was calling to him. However, when he turned around, he didn’t expect Korekiyo to be standing so close. Shuichi laughed nervously, and took a step back. “Oh, good morning, Korekiyo.” 

Korekiyo watched him as if appraising a piece of jewelry. “I have a request.”

“A request? What is it?” 

“Rantaro and I were going to explore the woods just east of here. It’s supposedly haunted by spirts.” Shuichi could see Korekiyo’s eyes light up with curiosity. “We wanted to know if you would like to join us in this investigation.”

Despite everything in his mind telling him to say no, Shuichi ended up agreeing to go. There was safety in numbers, after all, and he didn’t want to disappoint Korekiyo. He was strange, and it was harder for him to make friends. He didn’t want Korekiyo to think that he was avoiding him or thought he was strange. He was eccentric, but he was nice too, in his own way.

So, with gear loaded to stay the night, the three of them went into the woods. They agreed to stay along the trail so that they wouldn’t get lost in the dark. The woods were thick, and it would be hard to find their way out if something did happen; it was safer, Shuichi knew, to stay on the path.

A hike through the woods wasn’t exactly the most terrifying. Korekiyo had fun observing the various shrines and statues littered along the paths. The group would stop and talk as he sketched them in his book and made various notes. Though, Shuichi was unsure what it was all about. He still didn’t fully understand Korekiyo’s hobby, but Shuichi had a, most-likely unhealthy, obsession with crimes. So, he figured he shouldn’t call the kettle black.

As the sun started to set, the three were still unsure of where they should settle their camp. Rantaro looked around for a suitable place but was struggling to find anything very flat. Korekiyo was sketching a collection of stone creatures as Rantaro looked through his bag for his flashlight. “Hey,” he called to the others, “I’m going to go look up ahead and see if there’s a better spot to set up the tent. We should probably start thinking about getting shelter.” Korekiyo was too engulfed in his work to hear him, but Shuichi gave a grateful nod.

Rantaro moved on ahead, and Shuichi turned his attention to Korekiyo. He didn’t like the idea of being separated in a place like this, but as long as Rantaro stayed on the trail, he supposed it would be fine. After Korekiyo had finished his work, he lit a lantern; the fire hissed inside the glass case he stood with it in hand. “There,” Korekiyo said to add emphasis to the minor accomplishment.

However, the light did comfort Shuichi. Korekiyo smirked under his mask, eyeing him curiously. He enjoyed the flash of fear the flittered through his eyes and melted away with such a small thing. Comfort was always such a small thing; a toy, a light, a blanket. Shuichi was still in the middle of a supposedly haunted wood, but the light had brought warmth to him as if it carried with it a knight to guard against the ghouls. “How interesting,” Korekiyo commented with a soft laugh. Though, he was talking to himself more than he was to Shuichi.

“Hm?”

“No matter.” Korekiyo was about to step forward to follow after Rantaro when he felt something behind him. That is to say, he felt nothing at all. He hadn’t heard a thing. Somehow, something beckoned him in the opposite direction, though he wasn’t sure what or even how. Korekiyo turned his head, thinking nothing of it, yet knowing he shouldn’t ignore such invitations.

It was then that he saw her. A woman with long, dark hair in a hospital gown. He didn’t see her face, but he knew exactly who she was. He gasped and took a step toward her as she walked into the woods. “Wait…” He dropped the lantern and took off after the girl, running off the trail and into the trees, “Sister!”

Shuichi hadn’t had much time to react. “Korekiyo, wait!” He followed after him, but after only a short while, the trees has swallowed his friend. He made it back to the trail and ran up the path to find Rantaro. 

Korekiyo gasped, stopping as he heard a chime somewhere in the distance. When he turned his head, he was no longer in the woods. He was standing in front of the hospital he used to frequent. From the time that he was small until the time that his sister had passed, Korekiyo had spent a fair portion of his life trapped inside these walls.

He thought it a minor sacrifice, of course. After all, his sister had been locked inside far more often, and with far worse circumstances. Korekiyo had not known her pain or her loneliness; that was what she had often told him. However, he had never known anyone in his class either. He had never played with the other school children. Korekiyo had felt guilty for even talking to his classmates, knowing that his sister could never have the luxury. 

“Korekiyo,” the wind whispered, but he knew the luxurious call. It was a siren; it was sultry, gentle and devious. He followed the sound into the hospital.

He could walk these walls blindfolded, Korekiyo thought, as he moved through the vacant halls. Just past him, he could see his sister disappearing around the corner, but he didn’t give her chase. He followed after her silently, knowing exactly where she was leading him. She was always good at leading him. He could remember the first time they kissed, how she had guided him down in an orchestrated silence. They had been so young than; he had been so young.

Thinking back, it had felt strange, but she assured him it was natural. She had assured him of a lot of things. “Korekiyo...”

“Sister,” Korekiyo breathed, following her into her room gentle. He looked up and saw her laying on the bed like a sleeping dove. He hesitated to step into the room. He wasn’t sure what he wanted to do; he wasn’t sure what she wanted him to do. He watched as she sat up and turned to him slowly. Her hair covered her eyes, but he could see her red lips shining in the darkness.

“Korekiyo, I don’t want to be alone,” his sister pleaded, beckoning him forward. She stretched a hand toward him. “Stay with me, Korekiyo. Stay with me. Don’t leave me alone anymore.”

“S-Sister,” he whimpered, reached his hand toward her. She was so close; he knew if he could just touch her outstretched fingers, he could finally be reunited with her. Korekiyo stepped toward her, heart racing as he flushed. “I… I want to stay with you forever.” His eyes grazed the soft smirk that pulled at her red lips as their fingers almost touched. 

He froze in place as a hand reached out and grabbed the arm he had neglected at his side. Korekiyo paused and glanced behind him. Rantaro was standing there, holding onto his arm as he smiled calmly. “You were having a dream, weren’t you?”

A dream? Korekiyo turned his head back to where his sister had been and found, instead, a large and jagged cliff that crashed into a furious ocean. He gasped softly and took a step back. They were silent for a while. He wasn’t sure what to say; he wasn’t sure what Rantaro wanted him to say. Perhaps, in a strange way, they both knew what had happened; Korekiyo wasn’t sure he wanted to believe it. “Rantaro, I…”

“We should get back,” Rantaro said gently, still smiling, “Shuichi is pretty worried about you.” Korekiyo turned to face him and nodded slowly.

He relaxed at the silence, glad that Rantaro wasn’t pressing him for an explanation. Somehow, he found comfort in the trust that Rantaro had given him in that silence. Something had happened; they both knew that much. However, he didn’t press or ask questions. Korekiyo knew Shuichi would, and it was certainly because he cared, but Rantaro’s silence made his heart flutter. It was if, without saying anything at all, Rantaro believed in everything Korekiyo had been through. 

When they had made it back to the trail, Shuichi ran to them and hugged Korekiyo, much to his surprise. He didn’t move, but flushed under the mask. “I’m sorry that I frightened you, Shuichi. I suppose I shouldn’t have been so careless.”

Shuichi pulled back, a little embarrassed at his own antics. “I’m just glad you’re safe.” He breathed a sigh of relief as Korekiyo smirked.

“We should get back to the dorms. I think it would be better if we slept somewhere warm tonight,” Korekiyo said with a playful hum in his voice.

“Aw, no camping,” Rantaro said in mock disappointment. He laughed. “But maybe next time?”

“Next time, we’re going to the beach,” Shuichi muttered, “During the daytime.”

Korekiyo and Rantaro laughed, and it wasn’t long before Shuichi joined in. The three gathered their things and headed down the trail and out of the forest. They didn’t talk about what had happened in the woods, and Korekiyo was thankful for having such understanding friends.


End file.
